Colony dress code needs consistency

Many Colony students believe the school’s dress code to be flawed. To some, the dress policy appears to be unfair, while others perceive it to be inconsistently enforced. However, the administration views the rule as just one more way the Knights have set the standard for their students higher than their fellow high schools.

Colony has been known to have higher expectations for students than other Valley schools. For example, until this year the school did not grade with Ds. Instead, students were asked to pass classes with Cs and higher, teaching students to expect more of themselves and to work harder.

Now Colony has raised the bar for student apparel, expecting Knights not to wear clothes that are too revealing such as shirts showing cleavage or midriff, skirts shorter than 3 inches above the knee and jeans with holes above the knees. Yet, since jeans with the destroyed look are in style and low-cut tops, the school is finding many students are not heeding the rule.

One reason for this is there are still students and parents who think the entire policy is flawed. At the last school board meeting, multiple Colony High parents spoke out about their feelings for the rules, claiming their students did not deserve punishment for clothing they had worn and that at any other Valley school their attire would have been acceptable.

“In no way, shape or form is having holes in your jeans provocative, contrary to the administration’s beliefs,” said sophomore Alley Cummins. “And scarves are not gang-related.”

Yet every day students are asked to remove scarves, headbands and to tape over holes above their knees, something many believe to be a problem.

“The dress code is faulty. We’re not trying to be revealing when we wear pants with holes or scarves, it’s just the style,” said sophomore Chris Zeigler.

Another reason students believe the code is flawed and do not take it seriously is due to the lack of consistent enforcement.

“I think the fact that they only bust certain people for holes in jeans and not all the rest is not right. They should be more consistent,” said freshman Candice Elrod.

For this reason, it is quite possible students are not meaning to rebel when they violate the code. Instead, they just do not believe they will get caught.

Due to the policy’s lack of consistency, students are able to work around the system, wearing what they like and not being punished, which creates a definite defect within the policy.

“If there’s a dress code, not only should it be fair, but also enforced,” said sophomore Derek Evans. “It is no good if they don’t put it into action.”

Although Colony’s policy is clearly explained in the student handbook, for the dress code to truly be put in place it needs to be put into action. Without facing the proper consequences for their attire, students will not take the policy seriously. In order to maintain the high expectations Colony is after, the dress policy needs to be fair, consistent and — most importantly — enforced.

Kayla Anderson is a sophomore at Colony High School.